Electric furnace



Aug. 23', 1932. *A* l, HANSON l ELECTRIC FURNACE Filed Dec. 31 2Sheets-Sheet l may ELECTRIC FURNACE Patented Aug. 23, 1932 UNITEDSTATES- Parri-er1? OFFICE ALBERT J. Hanson, or ARLINGTON, nssacnusmrsELECTRIC remmer.

Application mea December s1, isao. semi No. 505,780.

a plurality of convolutions embodied therein, it is essential that theroof resistor shall ,lo be so supported that the numerous convolutionscannot sag. Furthermore, as it is necessary to repair or replace theseresistors frequently, itr is very important that they be mounted in sucha manner that theyy maybe il] easily and quickly removed from theheating chamber, detached from thevarious members with which'they areassociated, replaced and reinserted inl the furnace without causing` aprolonged shut-down of the furnace. vi' The object of this invention,therefore, is

tovprovide'an improved support forfan electric heating element orresistor, said support being of simple construction and embodyingtherein a permanent portion that is embedded 815 in the liningy of thefurnace and a removable c portion consisting of ka plurality ofinterchangeable sections capable of being easily and quicklyassembled'as they are being inserted in the furnace or dismantled asthey f. I0 are being removed from vvthe furnace without it beingnecessary for the workmen who are performing these operations to enterthe furnace.

v Another object of the invention is to provide a structure which willei'ectively lsupport the various convolutionsj of a ribbon typeresistor, or any other type ofresistor that has a plurality ofconvolutions embodied therein, in such a manner that none of theconvolutions will sag. The invention consists in an electric furnace asset forth in the `following specification and particularly yas pointedout in ythe claims thereof. f f` y Referring to the drawings: f -Fig 1is a horizontal sectionithrough a furnace, an electric heatingr elementand supporting means therefor embodying my invention being illustratedmounted therein.

Fig. 2 is. a veig'ticalk sectionalaelevatiOD 0f the upper portion of thefurnace taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transversesection of theV upper portion of the furnace takenon the line 3-3 of Fig. l." n

, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of the insulators. Q

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of 'a spacing member.

Like numerals refer tolike parts throughout the several views ofthedrawi'ngs.

vIn the drawings, 5 represents a furnace which may be `constructed inany suitable manner fromlayers of heat-resisting materials all wellknown in the art. nace 5 is provided with a heating chamber 6 which islined throughout with heat-resisting material 7,

The structure of this invention is provided for thepurpose of supportinga roof heating element'or resistor at the top of the heating chamber 6and embodies therein a permanent portion which is built into theVfurnace and a removable portion which may be easily and quickly removedfrom the heating chamber when repairs or replacements are required. Thepermanent portion of the structure embodies therein a plurality ofU-shaped brackets 8, legs 9 of which are embedded in the `material ofthe lining?. The brackets 8 are positioned end to end upon oppositesides of the heating chamber 6, but the adjacent brackets are spaced ashort distance apart The fur- Q to allow for expansion. The brackets 8pro- I ject from the side wall of the lining inwardly and downwardly andhave guideways 10 formed thereon upon which a plurality of supports 1lmay rest and upon which said supports maybe moved lforwardly andrearwardly.`

The supports 11 may be of diierent lengths, if it is so desired, andabuttogether endto end. They are (furthermore interchangeable upon thebrackets 8 and are connected together by means of 'inverted U- shapedcouplings 12, thelegs of which project through holes 13 that areprovided in bothl ends of the supports. The supports 11 are of skeletonconstruction in order that heat may radiate therethrough, but saidsupports have solid portions 11i extending longitudinally thereofprovided with grooves 15 therein in which insulators 16, illustrated inFig. 4, may rest loosely and abut together end to end.

The insulators 16 are provided with transversely extending grooves 17,see Fig. 4, in which an electric heating element or resistor 18 mayrest. The resistor 18, which is of a type commonly known as a ribbonresistor, is constructed in a single piece and embodies therein aplurality of convolutions 19, and the insulators 16 are so supportedupon the supports 11 that the opposite end portions of each convolutionwill be supported in a manner to prevent it from sagging. The eX-tremities of the resistor 18 are connected to terminals 2O which arelocated near the front of the furnace, said terminals projecting throughopenings 21 that are provided in the wall of the furnace. A wire 22 ofan electric circuit is attached to the outer extremity of each terminal520.

Spacers 23, illustrated in detail in Fig` 5, are interposed between thetwo side portions of the resistor 18 and abut together end to end. Thespacers 23 embody therein horizontal flanges 24C which rest upon theconvolutions 19 of the resistor and a portion 25 which projectsdownwardly between these convolutions and holds them spaced apart.

The insulators 16, furthermore, hold the various convolutions 19 of theresistor 18 spaced relatively to each other. The total width of theresistor 18 is slightly less than the width of an entrance 26 to theheating chamber 6 and said resistor is adapted to be inserted lengthwisethrough said entrance and extend from the front to the rear of theheating compaitment.

In assembling the structure the supports 11 are placed upon theguideways 10 of the brackets 8, the successive supports being coupledtogether as they are pushed rearwardly along the guidewavs. After asupport 11 has been laid upon the front pair of brackets 8 theinsulators 16 are placed in the grooves 15 provided therefor and thei'ear portion of the resistor is then placed in position upon theinsulators, the various convolutions 19 of the resistor being located intheir proper grooves in the insulators. In this manner all of thesupports 11 and insulators 16 are successively placed in position andthe successive convolutions 19 of the resistor 18 are placed in positionupon the insulators until the entire structure has been assembled andpushed rearwardly upon the Vvarious brackets 8 and the resistor islocated in position in the heating compartment. the entire operationbeing completed without it being necessary for the workmen, who areperforming the operation, to enter the heating compartment.

Whenever it is necessary to dismantle the structure, the various unitsthereof are pulled forwardly through the entrance 26 of the furnace andseparated as they are being removed, and in performing this operation itis not necessary for the workmen to enter the furnace.

Although the support of this invention is illustrated and described asbeing employed in connection with a ribbon type resistor, it is evidentthat the resistor does not necessarily need to be constructed of ribbonmaterial as the support may be easily adapted to receive other wellknown forms of resistors without departing from the spirit of thisinvent-ion.

I claim:

1. In an electric furnace a lining, brackets embedded therein, supportsslidable upon said brackets, means to couple said supports together,whereby movement may be transmitted from one support to another inopposite directions and a resistor positioned upon said supports.

2. In an electric furnace a lining, brackets embedded therein, supportsslidable upon said brackets, means to couple said supports together,whereby movement may be transmitted from one support to another inopposite directions, insulators mounted upon said supports, and aresistor mounted upon said insulators.

3. An electric furnace embodying therein a heating chamber provided withan entrance thereto at the front thereof, brackets embedded in the sidewalls of said chamber and provided with guideways thereon, supportsinsertable through said entrance and slidable upon said guideways, andan electric heating element for the top of said chamber also insertablethrough the entrance and posii tioned upon said supports.

4. An electric furnace comprising, in combination, a heating chamber,brackets mounted therein provided with guideways thereon, supportsresting loosely upon said brackets and slidable upon said guideways,means to couple said supports together, whereby movement may betransmitted from one support to another in opposite directions,insulators seated upon the supports, and a resistor positioned upon saidinsulators.

5. An electric furnace comprising, in combination, a heating chamber,brackets mounted therein at the side thereof and pro- A vided withguideways thereon extending longitudinally of said chamber, supportsresting loosely upon said brackets and slidable longitudinally of thechamber upon said guideways, said supports being provided with groovestherein, insulators seated within said grooves and also provided withgrooves therein, and a resistor mounted upon said insulators and seatedwithin said last-named grooves.

6. An electric furnace comprising, in comizo bination, a heatingchamber, brackets embedded within the side walls thereof and providedwith guideways thereon longitudinally of said chamber, supports restingupon said brackets and slidable upon said guideways, said supports beingprovided with grooves therein, U-shaped means to couple ysaid supportstogether, insulators seated within said groovesv and also provided withgrooves therein, and a resistor mounted upon said insulators and seatedYwithin said last-named grooves.

7. An electric furnace comprising, in combination, a heating chamber,brackets embedded within the side walls thereof and provided withguideways thereon, supports resting upon sald brackets and slidable uponsaid guideways, said ysupports being provided with grooves therein,means to couple said supports together, whereby movement may betransmitted from one support to another in opposite directions,insulators seated within said grooves and also provided with grooves ltherein, a resistor mounted upon said nsu1ators and seated Within saidylast-named grooves, and members restin upon said resistor and spacingportions t ereof apart.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT J. HANSON.

